San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-10-27
THE CIRCUS BLACKS.

themselves beneath the little, white slippered
feet Of the California girl. Pussy seemed to
say to me with her eyes, "All this triumph
and success and homage are for you" She
danced the cotillion with me, and Count
CastelnuOvo, who led 1t, looked stilettOs and
vendetta. The supreme moment Of my life
came when found myself alone for a moment
with Pussy in little, pale blue satin Rlcove,
lined with shining mirrors, that gave back
the reflection Of her slender white figure. l
had just cloaked her with marvellous hooded
mantle Of white feathers, and her blue Dyes
looked up into mine, like forget me nots
springing from under a snow drift. Coquet
as she was, there was no coquetry I'm that
glance.
Just then loud laugh in the corridor broke
the silence. ! hurried Pussy out of the alcove,
and found Mrs. Black waiting with Count
Castelnuovo at the head OF the stairs among
the palm trees Mrs. Black looked brilliantly
handsome and rather vulgar. She wore an
uncommOnly self satisfied expression.
"Mr. Bruce said the ex-circus rider, i'm
periously, "will you give me your arm, and
let Count CastelnuOvo escort my daughterT
Pussy reminded me of beautiful, great
white bird as she SKINNED down the stairs
before me in her feather cloak, with Coun.
Castelnuovo playing the part OF hungry,
fortune hunting hawk.
had barely seated myself at Mrs Fender
lips side at the pension dinner table, on the
following evening, when that good lady put
up her eyeglass, and looked at me inquisi-
lively. al suppose you've heard the news"
she said
"The old news9 The Wall street panici
That happened two weeks ago"
"No. Pussy Blacks engagement to Count
Castelnuovo."
The blow fell with cruel force. kept my
countenance, but was badly hit.
81 thought Mrs. Black was playing for a
title" said Mrs. Penderlip. "She announced
the engagement to all her friends this after
noon. / heard it discussed at Mrs. De Ha-
ven's tea. Mrs. De Haven is a New York
woman. She has never been willing to know
Mrs. Black, but, of course, a titled son-in law
will make great difference. told Mrs. De
Haven today that there was no truth what
ever in the story that Mrs B. had been cir
Gus rider, or that her mother sold cabbages.
l said that | had known Mrs B. since she
was a child, and that her mother was very
lovely woman, and a perfect lady. You see,"
pursued this worldly old person, ~ heard this
morning that the Wall street panic cuts my
income down one half. 1t would be quite i'm
possible for me to exist in America on my re-
duced capital, SO that shall have to end my
days in Europe. 1 can make an excellent
living as pedigree voucher for newly en-
riched Americans"
Mrs. Penderlip's eyeglasses fell on her plate
with sardonc crash.
"Between ourselves she continued niclinp
them up, "this engagement has been the saw
ing grace of the Blacks. Their social race
was almost run, and have 1t on good author
ity that their names were to have been stricken
off the court list before the next ball Of the
Quirinal Mrs Black had the indiscretion to
send an arm chair made of piece of Cali
fornia big tree to his ajesty, and she fav-
ored the queen with a floral offering in the
shape Of goose of white camelias swim
ming in sea Of gore represented by red
ones"
l finished my dinner in silence, and strolled
down to the Corso and past the Hotel dan
gleterre, where left card for Mrs Black
tried to feel gay and festive, and l hummed
to myself as walked a celebrated American
melody, "A Climbin' up de Golden Stairs"
But the rollicking tune sounded like the fun
eral dirge of my affections. For was not my
acquaintance with Pussy Black closely con-
nected with stairs, And had not Pussy
climbed to title on the golden stairs of her
fathers California mineG l smiled grimly at
the whimsical bitterness Of my thoughts, but
my heart was heavy within me, for the one
love of my life was the future Countess Cas-
telnuovO, the child of the "Circus Blacks. -
c. Adams in The Epoch.